Cloth-layer.



PATBNTED FEB. 19, 1908.

T.s. r0HNsoN. CLOTH LAYER. APPLICATION FILED APLZO, 1907.

cooooooOooo .-l Hmm/15 1/5 THOMAS S. JOHNSON, OF BLUEFIELD, WESTVIRGINIA.

CLOTH-LAYER.

specification or Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, .1908.

Application ned prii '20. 1907. serial No. s691298.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Blueeld, in the county of Mercer and State of West Virginia,have invented a new and useful Cloth-Layer, of which the following is aspecification.

. 'This invention relates to cloth layingV machines of that generalclass especially designed for use in factories, mills and similar placesfor folding cloth into layers of uniform length.

The object of the invention is to provide a movable car or carriagehaving tension rollers mounted for rotation thereon and between whichthe cloth or fabric is drawn and folded'into equal lengths on asupport'- ing table as the carriage travels back and forth onsaid table.

A further object is to provide a gage capable of being adjustedlaterally of the car or carriage to accommodate cloth of differentwidths and means for locking the gage in adjusted position.

A further object is to provide a gravity actuated wheel or rolleradapted to bear against the successive layers of cloth and thus prevent'the same from wrinkling when laying or folding the cloth.

A further object is to provide a car or-carriage adapted to support thecloth or fabric to be folded, said cloth being fed through the tensionrollers at either end of the carriage.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description,it being understood that various changes in forni, proportionsA andminordetails of construction may be resorted to within the scope of theap ended claims.

In t e accompanying drawings forming a part of thisV specification:Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cloth layer machineconstructed in accordance with my invention showing the same in positionon a sup ort .or table. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of t e machinedetached. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig.A 4 is an enlargedside elevation of a portion of the table show ing the manner of lacingthe rods in position between the fo ds of the fabric.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawings.

The improved machine forming the subject matter of the present inventionincludes a car or carriage 5 mounted for travel on a table or support 6and provided with depending wheels 7', the iianges of which bear againstthe opposite longitudinal edges of th-e table and serve to guide thecarriage in its forward and backward movement.

The wheels 7 are mounted for rotation in suitable brackets 8 havingtheir upper ends provided with laterally extending flanges 9 whichengage'corresponding guide flanges 10 secured to and extendingtransversely across the bed of the carriage.

Secured to the bed of the carriage or car are oppositely disposed sidewalls 11 provided with spaced enlargements 12 in which are journa ed aplurality of tension rollers 13 which bear against the cloth or fabric14.

J ournaled in the extensions 15 and preferably disposed in alinenientwith the bed plate are rollers 16 which serve to guide the cloth beneaththe carriage as the latter is moved back and forth over the table in theact of folding the cloth into layers, as will be more -a plate or clothgage 21 preferably ofthe same size. and shape as the end walls 11 andprovided with openings for the reception of the rollers 13, 16 and 17,said gage being adjustable laterally of the carriage thereby toaccommodate cloth of different width.

The gravity actuating rollers 2() are provided with spaced gage collars22 which constitute traction wheels and which maybe adjusted laterallyof-the rollers 20 in alinement with the gage 21, said collars beinglocked in adjusted position by means of screws or similar fasteningdevices 23.

As a means for locking the gage 21 in adjusted position, the bed of themachine is formed with a plurality of spaced perforations or openings 24adapted to' receive a bolt Wardly from the adjacent longitudinal edgeson ordinary tracks, if desired.

of the table 6 and are preferably of less height than the bed of thecarriage so as to permit the carriage to travel over the same withoutinterfering with the standards.

Attention is here called to the fact that the brackets 8 are adjustabletransversely of the carriage to accommodate tables of different widths,said brackets being also removable so that the wheels may be reversedand used In folding or laying the cloth the latter is placed on the bedplate-28 and one end there of threaded under and over the tensionrollers 13 at one end of the machine and' thence over the adjacentroller 16 and under the rollers 17 and 20 the free end of the clothbeing fastened in any suitable manner to the table at the rear `standardor support 26. The carriage is then moved longitudinally of the tableuntil the same passes the opposite standard 26 after which one of therods 27 is placed on top of the cloth at the rear of the standard 26 andthe carriage caused to travel in the direction of the standard 26 toform a second layer or fold, one of the rods 27 being placed on thecloth of the standard 26', as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Thecarriage is moved back and forth over the table in this manner until thedesired quantity of cloth has been laidV or folded.

The rollers 13 serve to maintain the cloth under the desired tensionduring the folding operation while the traction rollers 2() byengagement with the successive layers of cloth prevent the same fromwrinkhng and holds `the cloth flat against the table during the Afoldingoperation. Attention is here called to the fact that the tension rollers133 are disposed at each end of the carriage so that the clth may belaid from both ends of the table. It will also bc observed that therollers 20 being pivotally mounted on the carriage, the saine may beelevated when passing the standards, and that either roller may be swungupwardly to inoperative position when the other is in use.v

While it is preferred to support the pile or roll of cloth to be foldedon the carriage, it is obvious that said cloth may rest on the table orother suitable support and thc. free end thereof threaded through therollers at either end of the carriage without departing from the spiritof the invention.

Froml'the foregoing description it will be seen that there is providedan' extremely simple, inexpensive and efficient device admirably adaptedfor the attainment' of the ends in view. "l:

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage having means for supporting thecloth to be folded, and a'gage extending the entire length of thecarriage and adjustable transversely of the same.

2. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage including a bed plate providedwith depending traction wheels and having spaced sidewalls, tensionrollers journaled in the side walls at the opposite ends of the carriageand arranged in semi-circular form, a roller disposed in alinementwiththe bed plate at each end thereof, auxiliary rollers spaced from thebed plate and extended below the I "latter, traction rollers pivotallymounted on the opposite ends of the machine and adapted to bear againstthe cloth to be folded, and a longitudinal gage bar adjustable laterallyof the carriage and having openings formed therein for the reception ofthe tension and auxiliary rollers, respectively.

3. In a cloth laying machine, a carriage having spaced tension rollersadapted to engage the cloth to .be folded, a gage extendinglongitudinally of the carriage and slidably mounted for lateral movementon said rollers, and a traction roller pivotally mounted on one end ofthe carriage.

4. In a cloth laying machine, a reversible carriage, tension rollersmounted-for rotation on the carriage and arranged in substantiallysemi-circular form, traction rollers pivotally mounted on the oppositeends of the carriage, and a longitudinal gage adjustable laterally ofthe carriage and having openings formed therein for the reception of thetension rollers.

5. In a cloth laying machine, a reversible carriage having a bed plateand provided rollers journaled in the side walls for engagement with thecloth, .traction rollers pivotally mounted on the opposite ends'of thecarriage, a longitudinal gage adjustable laterally of the carriage andprovided with openings for the reception of the tension rollers,and;1neans for clamping. the gage to thelbed plate.

6. In a cloth laying'machine, a carriage including a bed plate, tensionrollers mounted I y ywith oppositely disposed side walls, tensionlongitudinal gage adjustable transversely of the carriage and havingopenings formed therein for the reception of the tension roll? en agethe cloth to be folded, a traction rol er pivotally mounted on one endof the l carriage, a longitudinal gage adjustable laterally of thecarriage and having-openings.

formed therein for the reception of the ten sion rollers, a bed plateforming a partof the carriage, means for clamping the gage to the bedplate7 and a collar carried by the traction rollers "and adapted toregister with the n testimony that l claim the foregoing my own havehereto affixed my signature 1n the presence of two Witnesses.-

THOMAS S. JOHNSON.

Witnesses: p

- CHARLES W. THORNTON,

CLARKE V. FOLAND.

